MIAMI – The Detroit Pistons avoided an unwanted record when they ended their 28-game NBA losing streak with a 129-127 win over the Toronto Raptors on Dec 30.
The Pistons had equalled the record losing run of the Philadelphia 76ers with their loss to the Boston Celtics on Dec 28.
The Sixers’ skid spanned the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.
Detroit’s dismal run was the longest single-season losing spell in National Basketball Association (NBA) history but a first win since October ensured they avoided another miserable milestone.
Cade Cunningham’s 30 points and 12 assists helped Detroit recapture the winning feeling and although a three-pointer from Gary Trent Jr with two seconds remaining narrowed the deficit, it was too late for a Raptors comeback.
Said Cunningham: “I feel amazing. We just kept battling. It’s been a long stretch, all these losses, but I’m just happy to be part of a group of guys who don’t quit.”
Pistons coach Monty Williams said the scenes in the locker room after the win had been special.
“Guys were screaming, I was almost in tears. I’m just so happy for our guys, I’m happy for everybody in the locker room,” he said.
“I’ve been in a ton of locker rooms my whole life and that’s a first for me to have that kind of, it wasn’t relief, it was just like, ‘Thank God, finally’,” added Williams.
Williams, the 2022 NBA Coach of the Year, said he hoped the win would prove to be a turning point for his team.
“Sometimes it just takes a win like that to get things started and I just have so much respect for our team.
“I think people may have thought that they were okay with losing. But they came in every day with a great spirit, and they wanted answers. They came in wanting to learn and try to get better.
“So I just respect the heck out of our guys. Really happy that we finally got a win because it’s so hard to win in this league,” he said.
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks acquired forward O.G. Anunoby from the Raptors on Dec 30 in exchange for guards R.J. Barrett and Immanuel Quickley as well as a second-round draft pick. The Knicks also got centre Precious Achiuwa and guard Malachi Flynn from the Raptors in the deal.
Anunoby, 26, has averaged 15.1 points and 3.9 rebounds in 27 starts this season. Toronto-born Barrett, 23, has averaged 18.2 points with 4.3 rebounds in 26 starts this season.
In Salt Lake City, the Miami Heat’s four-game winning streak came to an end with a 117-109 defeat by the Utah Jazz with star Jimmy Butler suffering another injury setback.
Butler had missed all four of Miami’s recent wins with a calf injury but in his return to action, he was unable to complete the game, leaving with a foot injury in the third quarter after making eight points.
Collin Sexton top scored for the Jazz with 22 points and Keyonte George contributed 21 points as the Jazz (14-19) pulled off the win against the Heat (19-13).
While Utah pulled away late in the game, outscoring Miami 29-21 in the fourth quarter, it had been a close contest with 12 lead changes and 12 ties.
Bam Adebayo delivered 28 points and 16 rebounds for the Heat, but their supporting cast failed to step up when Butler was forced out – Miami made just one field goal in the last 5min 57sec. The Heat did reduce Utah’s lead to two points with 2:41 remaining but the Jazz responded strongly to see out the game.
“Second half, we were just never able to contain them off the bounce, regardless of what the action was,” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra.
“They were pretty much living in the paint and we just could not contain that all game long, even in the first half and we paid the price for that,” he added. AFP, REUTERS
